


Just A Little Encouragement

by naarna



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Ministry of Magic Employee Draco Malfoy, Ministry of Magic Employee Hermione Granger, Mostly Fluff, Oblivious Draco Malfoy, Pining Draco Malfoy, Post-Hogwarts, Soulmates, soulmate tattoo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:41:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23663293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/naarna/pseuds/naarna
Summary: Draco discovers a tattoo on his elbow one morning... and he finally understands his mother's words. What he doesn't know yet, is that it will turn his life upside down...
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Comments: 14
Kudos: 352





	Just A Little Encouragement

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Felgia_Starr](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Felgia_Starr/gifts).



> This was written based on a drabble prompt by the giftee, felgia_starr, who had requested a Soulmate AU with some angst and pining. So, yeah, here we are. Hope you enjoy it!
> 
> Last but not least, also many many thanks to my lovely beta _Musiclover19_ for reading through it! Mwah!

_“Malfoy men only fall in love once in their lives, but if they do, they do so deeply and with all their heart.”_

Draco couldn’t stop thinking about those words his mother had once told him when he had been younger, and how he never understood what she had meant by it.

Until this morning.

He still stood in his en-suite, inspecting the tattoo that had appeared on the inner side of his right elbow. It was a simple design, only a pair of branches intertwining. Yet, his heart made a jump when he recognised what kind of branches they were—hawthorne and vine. 

Oh, fuck it.

It was like a huge waving sign of his love for his office partner, Hermione. It was a soulmate tattoo. 

He was doomed. He just had to fall in love with the one woman who was so definitely out of reach for him. Working together in the same office, she had managed to get under his skin, to ignite a longing in his heart because she made him feel home in her presence. 

She had charmed her way into his heart with her passion, her wit, and most of all that beautifully enchanting smile. She had snuck her way into his life, had become an important part.

He wished he could say when she had become more than just a friend he worked with, when he had fallen in love with her. 

Maybe it had been so long ago that he didn’t remember and it had always been this way. 

He was fucking doomed.

Because it was one thing to fall in love. It was an entirely different one to find a soulmate tattoo on your elbow. Simply falling in love meant that he could get over it again, but a soulmate? Not so much. And what was worse, soulmate tattoos weren’t even a guarantee that the feelings were mutual. 

He might as well not be _her_ soulmate. After all, who would want _him_ as their soulmate? 

All he could do now was to wait for signs that she was in love with him, with the faint hope that she had the same soulmate tattoo on her elbow. He might as well just sign up for a miserably lonely life, with his heart broken in the long run.

“Master Draco needs to hurry if Master doesn’t want to be late for work,” Tilly reminded him from the door with a solemn but good-natured face, pulling him from his thoughts. 

A quick look on the clock hanging on the en-suite’s wall confirmed that he had about ten minutes left before he absolutely had to leave for work. Thankfully, he had discovered the tattoo after his morning shower, so he only had to take care of his skin and get dressed.

If only he knew how to deal with the situation…

* * *

Hermione was searching through their file cabinet when he arrived in their office, sighing repeatedly as she apparently couldn’t see what she was looking for. 

And Draco cursed his treacherous heart in that moment for skipping a beat or two when he saw her, dressed impeccably as always in colours that always managed to bring out her warm skin tone and accentuate her amber eyes.

Just as he placed his case on his desk, she found what she was looking for. A bright, welcoming smile lit up her face when she noticed him. “Good morning.”

“Morning,” he replied, smirking when she closed the cabinet drawer with a swing of her hip, her eyebrow raised teasingly. 

It was moments like this that had stolen his heart, that had made him love her. Because underneath all that professional exterior, there was a cheeky, even challenging side. And he absolutely cherished that she let him see it.

“The Council sent an urgent message this morning,” she said as she returned to her desk, only to reach for a file to hand him. “Feathersby wants us to prepare a law text for the Council to vote on, and we barely have any time left before it’s supposed to be presented.”

With a sigh, Draco sat down at his desk and opened the file to have a first look through it. The Council had by now noticed that they were the best team of assistants, so they were usually handed delicate subjects to formulate legal texts on, or very pressing deadlines. 

And today, it seemed to be the latter.

“What do you mean by _‘we barely have any time left’_?” he asked as he skipped through the protocol of a Council meeting dated a few weeks ago. “Oh, it’s about werewolf rights?”

“Yes, especially their rights at work, as a lobby is demanding better protection as well as days off around every full moon, amongst other things.” She took her seat and brushed an obstinate strand out of her face that had been too short for her perfectly styled bun. “And we only have until Friday… You know what that means–”

“ _Friday_? What do they think we are? Miracle workers?!” Draco let out a disbelieving huff, and he could see the same frustration on her face as she nodded. “That’s barely enough time to get through all existing texts and the arguments of all sides…”

“I told Feathersby as much.” 

“Tell me we get at least a bonus for saving their arses again.” 

“It’s _Feathersby_ , Draco.”

“Yes, I know.” After another deep breath, he read through the next document in the file, which turned out to be a simple piece of parchment with some handwritten notes in barely legible handwriting. “Might have to remind him of his blunder with the economic law reform. He knows we need _at least_ a month if not more.”

“Better get started then,” she said with a soft smile and a lingering look that made his heart beat faster. It was exhilarating, and damn it was so stupid too. After a deep breath that he tried to cover with a smile, he forced himself to calm down.

Damn, he was doomed. 

Because they’d be spending a long week together to get this done, most likely even pull all-nighters. It wasn’t exactly helping with his feelings, as it was most likely going to be a week full of awkward moments for him, no longer knowing how to act around her without revealing anything. 

Oh, he was so so doomed.

However, they were so focused on meeting the damn deadline that neither of them had any time to dwell on any non-work-related feelings or tattoos. No, their days were spent either diving into the archives to research references on werewolf legislation or fighting over phrasing details for the text to make sure it was sound-proof. 

There had been more than one exhausted fight over the right word, with Draco relenting more than once rather captured by her fierce passion. 

It was a huge relief that by Thursday night, all they had left to do was one last read-through and fix a few formatting details. They just had been too tired to find the will to continue, so instead, they had transformed their chairs into makeshift beds to get at least a couple of hours of sleep. 

Draco woke when he heard the office doors close quietly, and he was greeted with the view of Hermione leaning against the side of his desk, looking about as exhausted as he felt in his bones. 

“Morning,” she whispered, her lips curled up in a soft smile as she placed a mug of coffee on a free spot on his desk.

He nodded in return, as his brain didn’t yet feel like processing words yet. So, with a sheepish grin, he propped himself up and brushed his hair back. The change of position at least helped to get his circulation going, and he felt slightly less groggy.

“Maude from the cafeteria said it was the first brew of the day, so it might probably be extra strong.”

“She’s an angel!” In desperate need of caffeine for his brain to fully wake up, he reached for the mug. There was barely a better scent in the morning than a freshly brewed coffee, so he cherished the first sip. 

In addition, he also cherished the quiet moment between them, with her leaning against his desk and holding her mug with both hands as she enjoyed her coffee. Despite her clothes being a little crumpled from the couple of hours of sleep in her makeshift bed, she looked beautiful. Her hair was pulled up in a lazy bun, giving her a relaxed look.

“You should wear your hair like this more often,” she said before taking another sip. “I like it.”

He could feel his cheeks heat up in a blush which he tried to cover with a smile and the mug lifted to his lips. Then she surprised him as she gently brushed through his hair, leaving a delightful trail on his scalp that turned into a shiver down his spine. 

A content sigh escaped him.

Her smile in response was endearing, and he’d be damned if he didn’t want more of it.

“Let’s finish the job,” she said after finishing her mug. “I just want to go home and have a shower and a proper nap in my own bed.”

“Oh yes!” He nodded and stretched his legs to get up. He had barely placed his mug on his desk when Hermione tripped over one of the piles on the floor, probably the one with the most recent articles and essays on werewolf rights from all over the world. 

“Woah!” 

Draco was fast enough to catch her wrist and pull her back before she landed on the floor. He thought his heart stopped beating for a second or two when he came within an inch of her face. So close, he could see the small smudge of eyeliner around her eyes before he noticed her lips. They were so damn full and soft, and she had that adorable habit of biting her lower lip when nervous.

And she was biting her lip right now, her eyes seemingly searching his face for an answer. She lingered a little too long on his lips, her breath hitching ever so slightly. For a moment, she tilted her head closer, but then she seemed to catch herself and took a step back.

“Th-Thanks,” she whispered, rubbing her face, but barely managing to cover her blushing cheeks. 

Draco felt the urge to just pull her into a hug and just kiss her because she had been so damn close to do it. So so close. He still felt the touch of her skin from the hold on her wrist, the softest of prickling at the tips of his fingers.

“It’s okay. We’re both tired,” he finally said, reaching for his wand on the cabinet to turn the makeshift bed back into its original form, his chair. “Want to flip a coin on who gets to do the last read-through?”

“Sure,” she replied with a smirk that had Draco weak in his knees for a moment, glad he was already seated. 

* * *

A well-deserved shower and afternoon-long nap had indeed been what Draco needed to feel more like himself again. He still felt the toll of the strenuous week in his bones, but he also felt the need to celebrate them meeting the deadline, basically performing a miracle. 

So, he had agreed to a drink or two with his friends at their usual place, one of those new pubs that had opened on Diagon Alley in the past few years. He might not openly admit it, but part of the reason why he wanted to celebrate was that Hermione would most likely be there as well.

However, the group hadn’t realised that one of those many small bands would be playing tonight, which meant that the pub was filled to the brim with patrons and noise. Draco willingly took over table guard duty when the others either went to collect the next round of drinks or joined the dancers in the area just in front of the band. 

He was content to nurse the rest of his second beer while watching Hermione having fun dancing. The way she moved was mesmerising—it wasn’t the most graceful of dancing, no, given she barely had any space. It was rather the glimpse of the fire burning inside her that captivated him, the joy on her face as she had fun. 

He sighed contentedly, smiling softly whenever Hermione glanced over to him. The blush on her cheeks each time just before she looked away again was endearing. It reminded him of her hiding the same blushing cheeks earlier in the morning, after their faces had only been inches apart. 

His thoughts were starting to drift into daydreaming about how it would feel to finally kiss her, or how those heavenly soft-looking lips would feel on his. 

“I’ve never seen you smile like this.”

Startled, Draco straightened himself, only to find Ginny sitting next to him, lifting the fresh bottle of beer in her hand to a toast. He brushed through his hair, trying to play it cool but felt instantly betrayed by his cheeks that had to be blushing.

“Suits you.” Watching him with an amused spark in her eyes, she had a first gulp, then she looked over to the dancing area. “She looks gorgeous, hm? I mean, I’d be dead after such a week–”

“Huh?”

Ginny chuckled, placing her bottle on the table before she leaned closer. “I know you have developed a _pretty soft spot_ for Hermione.”

Damn, his cheeks had to be burning bright red right now, but it would be a futile attempt to hide them. 

“It’s even worse than I thought!” she said with a laugh. “Damn…”

“Shh!” He sighed and leaned his head on his hand, facing her. “What if I indeed had a _soft spot_ for her?”

“I’d say, _good choice_.”

He groaned at her words, but then his attention was briefly caught by the dance area where they were now doing some sort of circle dance. “It’s not as if I even had a chance with someone like her–”

“Not true.” She shook her head vehemently, not accepting his statement. “You’ve proven yourself to be a good man, you know? She might just need a little encouragement…”

“What do you mean?”

She shrugged. “She hasn’t dated in over a year. It’s as if she’s waiting for a sign or something… All I’m saying is, it might not hurt to be open about your feelings towards her, even just a little more than right now. Give her a hint that you actually like her _that way_.”

Draco looked over to Hermione once more, Ginny’s words circling in his head. His heart beat faster at the thought of revealing his feelings to the fiery lioness who tried to keep up with the steps, smiling at him when she caught his gaze.

Maybe she was worth it.

Maybe.

Moments later, the song was over and the dancers applauded the band. Panting, Hermione made a step towards their table, fanning herself with a hand. She didn’t get far, however, as she collided with another patron who tried to navigate through the mass of people with his drinks in his hand.

Draco sprang to his feet, just as she shrieked from having a drink hitting her front; Ginny followed behind him.

“Why didn’t you look?” she scoffed at the poor man who seemed to be a little shocked, trying to stammer an apology but succumbing under her fiery glare. “You ruined my best blouse! HEY!”

“I-I… I’m sorry, okay?” the man finally managed to say, just as Draco and Ginny joined them. “Maybe you shouldn’t wear expensive clothes in a pub.”

“Hermione, it’s okay,” Draco intervened before she could say something, gently for her wrist to pull her away from the crowd and towards their table. “It’s just beer. No need to make him a head shorter.”

She threw one last glare towards the man who was by now pulled away by Ginny before she took a deep breath and relaxed. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”

“Nice,” a man next to her let out, adding a nod towards her front. 

That made her look down with wide eyes, only to cover herself with a panicked expression. “Oh my gods! You can see my bra! This is a nightmare!”

“Wait.” Without thinking twice, Draco unbuttoned his shirt to take it off, leaving him in his undershirt. It was rather the only thing he could do right now to help her cover herself and calm down again.

“Draco… I… I can’t…” For a moment, she seemed overwhelmed and unsure, almost timid even to accept his offer. But after a few more seconds, she did take his shirt. “Thanks.”

“You can keep it if you want.” With a soft smile, he straightened the collar, unable to resist brushing his thumb over her cheek.

She leaned ever so slightly into his touch, but then she gasped. “Oh my gods! You-You… You have a _tattoo_!”

“I… Yes…” Embarrassed, he pulled his arm back, trying to cover the soulmate tattoo on his elbow. With a sting in his heart, he watched her shake her head in utter shock and even take a step back, as if she was trying to get away from him.

“Guys, Harry will be back with the next round in a few moments.” Right then, Ginny came back with a chuckle but stopped in her tracks when she saw them. “What’s… What’s going on?”

Hermione wrapped her arms around her waist and looked down, avoiding his gaze and suddenly all tense. “Can you take me home? I-I’m tired.”

Ginny looked at Draco questioningly, but he only shrugged because he didn’t quite understand it either. But then she offered her hand to Hermione. “Of course.”

The sting in his heart growing until he thought he felt it break, Draco watched them leave. He had no idea what had just happened between them, all he knew was that his soulmate tattoo had shocked her beyond belief. 

All of a sudden, he was no longer in the mood to celebrate, and the noise of all the cheerful and drunk people around him was too much. So he grabbed his suit jacket that until now had hung over his chair and moved towards the door.

“Hey!” Harry blocked his way as he passed the counter. “Where are you going? And where’s your shirt?”

“Home.” With a huff, he pushed through the small gap between Harry and the patron next to him. “And don’t ask.”

“Malfoy!”

But Draco wasn’t in the mood to discuss his emotional state, especially not with Potter, so he just shrugged as he stepped outside. Thankfully, the nearest Apparition point was too far away, as he felt his exhaustion take over again.

Oh, he just wanted to bury himself in his bed and never get out of it again.

So much for trying to give her a hint of his feelings! Look what he got for it! Of course, she’d reject _him_!

The sun had barely climbed over the horizon on Sunday morning when Draco was pulled from his sleep by a relentless knock at his front door. Still more asleep than awake, he stumbled down the stairs, just as Tilly answered the door.

He stopped on the second-to-last step, stiffening when he recognised the voice of the person at his door. 

Fuck. It just had to be _her._

“Tilly, let her in.” After a deep breath to collect himself, he took the last couple of steps to meet his visitor. “And go make us some coffee.”

“Yes, Master Draco.”

“Hi, Draco.” With a timid smile, Hermione stepped inside, holding up the shirt she had brought back.

He just huffed and then rubbed his face before he turned towards the living room area on the other side of the short corridor. “Tilly wait. Bring the shirt upstairs first.”

There was an uncomfortably heavy silence in the corridor, only interrupted by the house-elf taking over the shirt and Apparating upstairs to put it away. 

Hermione wrapped her cardigan tighter around her waist, looking all wrought up and rather lost. It was clear that she hadn’t slept one bit the previous night. “Draco… I didn’t… I mean I’m-I’m sorry. Really.”

“Just forget about it.” He moved past her towards the living room area, dismissing her attempts at an apology with a shrug.

“No. Please. I owe you an explanation…” Hermione followed him fast enough to catch his hand and pull him back so that he had to face her again.

“An explanation for what?” he huffed at her, prying her hand off his wrist. “Rejecting me as you did on Friday after I tried to help you?”

“I-I wasn’t rejecting you,” she said quietly, her voice cracking. After a sigh, she once more wrapped her arms around herself. “I-I was just shocked. I’m-I’m sorry if… if… I mean, I didn’t… I didn’t mean…”

His arms crossed, he waited for her to continue, but instead, her voice gave out and she stubbornly wiped the tears away that threatened to roll down her cheeks. She tried so hard to keep her composure, but with each of her wipes, it crumbled more and more. Seeing her like this, all wrought up and emotional, his anger dissolved, replaced with the urge to comfort her.

After another wipe, she took a deep breath and started rolling her right sleeve up with trembling fingers. She shook her head when he silently offered to help her. Moments later, she had moved it up high enough, revealing a tattoo.

Draco inhaled sharply when he recognised the design—it was the same he had on his inner elbow.

She had a matching soulmate tattoo.

The revelation made his head spin, and he felt his throat choke for a moment before he found the strength to gather himself enough. Without hesitating further, he reached for her hand, twining their fingers, relishing the soft touch of her skin.

A small relieved sob escaped her, and she didn’t protest when he pulled her closer to finally comfort her. She just wrapped her arms around him as soon as he was close enough, burying her face in his chest. “Gods, I feel so stupid…”

He just held her tight in his arms, letting her calm down. He still needed a moment to sort his thoughts, yet there was a sense of utter relief spreading through him. 

“I-I was so scared… of-of ending up alone, you know? I was scared I’d chase you away if I told you. Have you any idea how hard it was to see you every day for the last year and act as if I didn’t feel anything for you? Just because I didn’t want to lose you as a friend.”

He shook his head that he had gently placed on top of hers and held her a little tighter. “I’m sorry–”

“And then I saw your tattoo on Friday… I was so shocked because I never thought you’d ever consider someone like me–”

“Hermione,” he let out in a sigh, his voice still merely a whisper. “If only you knew how… wonderful you are, how fiery and passionate. Of course I’d fall for someone like you.”

“Thanks.” She chuckled at his words and nudged him in the back. “You have no idea how much courage it took to come here.”

He brushed a few loose strands out of her face when she turned her head to the side; the touch made her purr lowly.

“That’s nice.”

His heart made a little jump, betraying him because she surely noticed it. With another soft touch, he tilted her head upwards, until she was looking at him with an ardent smile and her eyes full of adoration. She was looking at him as if he was the best damn thing in her life, and it was all he ever wanted. 

Words failed him right now. He couldn’t express how he felt even if he wanted to. How happy she made him right now, and how utterly relieved too. Instead, he leaned his head down until his lips met hers in a first tentative kiss that had him enchanted with the very first touch. 

A few rapid heartbeats later, she shifted her position for a better angle, her hands finding their way to the side of his head as she deepened the kiss. It felt like an offering of her devotion and love.

He was more than happy to offer the same devotion and love, his heart singing and humming in joy. Oh, he’d cherish her for the rest of their lives, making sure she knew how much she meant to him every single day.

“I love you,” he murmured between kisses, smiling at the happy giggle that escaped her in response. “And I’m glad I found you.”

“I’m glad too,” she said, teasing him with a peck on his lips. “But I’d rather you’d kiss me a little more.”

“Whatever makes you happy, my love.”


End file.
